Month: March 2017

I don’t even know where to begin with summarizing this week. It was so hard but it was so good and my heart grew like 100 sizes bigger.
The MTC is good about putting you to work straight away and making you work hard! My companion and I have been so busy preparing lessons for our 3 investigators (we teach all 3 everyday) and we also taught Relief Society on Sunday. We’re still in class for like 9ish hours a day but every second has been a blast.

Also on Sunday we got to have a devotional here performed by the BYU Mens Choir which was so amazing and inspiring! My District Leader got to go up and sing with them for the last song because he was in that choir last semester and it was so sweet! It made our whole districts day and we are so lucky/happy to have him. Sunday is also the day where we get to walk to the temple and take pictures with everyone which was fun but not really cause it was freezing.

Yesterday was also so good because we actually got somewhere with Amanda! She’s an investigator who’s around my age and she’s going to BYU and I seriously love her so much. All last week I felt like our lessons weren’t really helping her, but yesterday we had a real heart to heart and she finally told us what was bothering her so now we know how to best help her! I can’t wait to see her grow! And she said she’s gonna bring us cinnamon rolls tomorrow so she’s probably my favorite.

But even though this week was super busy and hard I have really felt the power of everyone’s prayers and I’m so happy to have such great people rooting for me! Also my amazing companion and district has helped me so much in keeping me sane and laughing. My testimony has been strengthened so stinkin much and I’m so excited to share what I’ve learned here with everyone in Anaheim. Also thanks for the letters and emails this week, please keep them coming!

Have you ever met someone and just instantly loved them?? Have you ever had it happen to you 100 times in a row?

Walking around the MTC on my first day was like being the most popular person on the planet, it was impossible to go anywhere without some yelling out "Welcome to the MTC!" It was so special and awesome and it made the craziness of my first day a little more bearable. This place is literally the strangest place on earth but I love it so much. I hardly remember anything that happened in the last week because it was so busy/tiring but I know that I’m already a different/better person and I’m so grateful.

I have the silliest district! My district is made up of my companionship, 2 elder companionships and one set of three sisters. They all make me laugh so much, its so hard to focus when we’re all together which is bad but also good. My companion is amazing! Her name is Sister Powell and she’s from Mississippi. She has a such thick southern accent which is one of the many things I love about her. She can always make me laugh and we are both such goofs, I’m so grateful to have her.

Since Wednesday I have been in class for at least 10 hours a day learning, studying and preparing for lessons. We have already taught 4 different investigators with varying levels of success but despite our challenges we have managed to maintain a good attitude (most of the time). On Sunday we had church like all day, which isn’t very different from every other day, but it was so great! At night we get to watch movies and my whole district watched this one called Character of Christ. It was a talk given by Elder Bednar and it for reals changed my whole perspective on my mission and my life. The different between having a testimony and being truly converted is acting on you testimony by putting off the natural man through utilizing the Atonement! I’m striving to be as Christlike as possible and I’ve already seen the blessings this effort has brought me. Also on Sunday we got to walk to the temple for pictures and it was so fun to be there with my whole zone!

I love being here at the MTC, there is really no other place like it on earth. I’m surrounded by the nicest, most loving people ever and I’m super happy with my decision to serve. My love for Christ and for this church has grown more than I ever thought it could in just a week. I also love my family and friends so much and your letters have been so appreciated! Love you all!

So this is my first post as a missionary! Today I was set apart as a full time missionary which means no normal social media for the next 18 months and I hope I’m not cheating by writing this blog post! There are a lot of things that I have to let go of for awhile but I know my sacrifices don’t even compare to the blessings Heavenly Father has in store for me!
I feel so lucky and blessed to be going on a mission and to have so much support from my amazing friends and family! There are so many emotions rolling around in my head but the strongest one I’m feelin’ is definitely love. Love for my family and for the Lord and for the people I haven’t even met yet. I have no idea what to expect when I roll up to the MTC tomorrow but I’m so excited and I’m ready to make you all proud!
The church is true, the Book of Mormon is true, God is real and He loves you so much, and I love you all so much.
I’m so excited and nervous for what’s to come but I wish everyone reading this the best and I hope to see some emails next week!